Insert for the customization of a footwear, customizable footwear and method for the customization of a footwear

ABSTRACT

An insert ( 1 ) for the customization of a footwear ( 100 ), more particularly of a sports footwear, is provided. A footwear that is customizable by using the aforementioned insert as well as a method for the customization of a footwear, the method using the aforementioned insert, are also provided. The insert ( 1 ) comprises a layer made of thermo-formable material ( 3 ) and a layer made of cork ( 5 ) coupled to each other. The presence of the layer made of thermo-formable material ( 3 ) allows customization of the footwear according to the morphology of the foot of the individual user; the presence of the layer made of cork ( 5 ) allows good thermal insulation and effective transmission of the movements from the user&#39;s foot to the footwear.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to an insert for the customization of afootwear, i.e. for adapting said footwear to the specific footmorphology of the particular user.

More specifically, the present invention relates to an insert for thecustomization of a sports footwear, more particularly a sports footwearcomprising a substantially soft inner element or liner and asubstantially rigid outer element or shell.

The present invention further relates to a footwear that is customizableby using the aforementioned insert as well as to a method for thecustomization of a footwear, said method using the aforementionedinsert.

According to prior art, footwear are manufactured in a variety of sizesthat are different in length and width. However, each footwear size hasstandard length and width and not all the users with the same foot sizehave feet with the same morphology. It results that, while the size iscorrect, often the footwear does not fit the particular morphology ofthe user's foot. This drawback is particularly felt in the field ofsports footwear, as the user's feet—during sports practice—are subjectto considerable efforts.

Moreover, in the field of sports footwear, the conformity of thefootwear to the specific morphology of the particular user remarkablyaffects not only the user's comfort, but also his/her performances.

The aforesaid drawback turns to be particularly limiting in the casewhere the sports footwear comprises a substantially rigid element.Reference can be made, by way of example, to ski boots, which usuallycomprise a substantially soft inner element or inner liner and asubstantially rigid outer element or outer shell.

In the case of ski boots, not only does the conformity of the footwearto the morphology of the foot of the particular user increases theuser's comfort, but it also improves the maneuverability of the ski,since even minimal movements of the user's foot are transmittedeffectively to the ski boot and from this to the ski.

Similar improvements to the user's comfort as well as to his/herperformances can be obtained for other similar sports footwearcomprising a substantially rigid outer shell, such as, for instance,roller skates or ice skates.

It is apparent that making custom-made footwear, while allowingefficient customization on one hand, would on the other hand involvehigh manufacturing costs and, consequently, very high, non-competitivemarket prices. Consequently, in the past methods and arrangements forthe customization of sports footwear were developed starting from astandard, non-customized article, which could therefore be manufacturedon a large scale.

With respect to sports footwear of the kind comprising a substantiallysoft inner element or liner and a substantially rigid outer element orshell, and more particularly to ski boots, products and methods for thecustomization of ski boots have been developed, which provide for usingone or more thermo-formable insert(s) applied to the inner liner so thatthey are arranged between said inner liner and the outer shell of theski boot: once the user has put on the inner liner of the ski boot, thethermo-formable insert is heated above its thermo-forming temperatureand a pressure is subsequently applied to said insert from the outsideso that the insert adapts itself perfectly to the morphology of theuser's foot; the insert is then let to cool down below itsthermo-forming temperature, whereby it stiffens in the desiredconfiguration.

The use of cork in sports footwear has turned out to be veryadvantageous. Still referring to the example of ski boots, this involvestwo different advantages. First of all, cork is an effective naturalthermal insulator. Secondly, it allows effective transmission ofmovements from the ski boot (therefore from the user's foot) to the ski:unlike inserts made of foamed materials and intended for ski bootliners, cork is incompressible and therefore allows a more precise andreactive transmission of movements to the ski.

In order to insert cork into sports footwear in order to exploit theaforementioned properties, inserts have been developed which comprisesmall fragments of cork dispersed in a resin matrix, which can be shapedfor adapting to the morphology of the user's foot. Such insert is used,for instance, in the ski boot marketed by the Applicant under the trademark Nordica® Nordica with the name “NRGy Pro”.

This solution, though allowing to introduce cork into a customizablesports footwear, is however susceptible of improvements. First of all,as the resin matrix in which cork is dispersed is sticky also at roomtemperature, it is necessary to provide a suitable housing forreceiving, in its inside, each insert, separated from the rest of theliner and from the outer environment. In addition, the resin matrix doesnot offer absolute guarantee of stability, as it can undergo slightdeformations also at not very high temperatures. Finally, the dispersionof cork fragments in the resin matrix does not offer guarantees in termsof uniform distribution of these fragments over the entire area of theinsert, and consequently of obtainment of uniform properties over theentire area of the insert.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,033,727 describes a stiffening element for footwear, inwhich a layer of a composition capable of conferring rigidity and madesubstantially of thermoplastic material or of rubber and thermoplasticmaterial is confined between two fabric layers. The layer ofthermoplastic material or rubber and thermoplastic material can containan adequate quantity of cork powder as filler.

The drawbacks of this solution are the same as those listed before andlie in particular in the need to provide an outer housing made offabrics and, most of all, in the impossibility of guarantees in respectof uniform distribution of the cork powder.

In addition, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,033,727 the cork powder is used merelyas a filler, without any reference to the insulating properties of cork.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a solution thatallows to improve the aforementioned aspects and—in particular—allows toobtain a customizable footwear which has a simple structure, reliablyaffords a possibility of customization and is comfortable andcost-effective.

These and other objects are achieved with the insert for thecustomization of a footwear, with the customizable footwear as well aswith the method for the customization of a footwear as claimed in theappended claims.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides for making an insert for thecustomization of a footwear, said insert comprising a layer made ofthermo-formable material and a layer made of cork coupled to each other.

Unlike the prior art solutions, the insert according to the inventionprovides a layer entirely made of thermo-formable material and a layerentirely made of cork. In this way, the insert according to theinvention has uniform properties over its entire area.

In addition, replacing resin with a layer of the 1110-formable materialeliminates a series of drawbacks and allows to simplify the structure ofthe footwear.

According to the invention, both the layer made of thermo-formablematerial and the layer made of cork have a substantially uniformthickness over the entire area of the insert. In particular, thethicknesses of said layer will be chosen so as to allow deformationthereof and adaptation thereof to the morphology of the user's foot.

In an embodiment of the invention it is possible to provide that theinsert extends over the whole surface of the footwear upper. Accordingto this embodiment, the effect of thermal insulation provided by cork ismaximized.

However, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the insert extendsover a portion only of the footwear upper. In this embodiment, theinsert will extend in those areas that are most sensitive from theviewpoint of the user's comfort and of the efficiency in thetransmission of movements from the user's foot to the footwear.

By way of example, in the case of application to ski boots, said insertmay extend, for instance, in the malleolar area.

In any case, according to the applications, the shape and arrangement ofthe insert according to the invention can be chosen each time so as toensure optimum customization of said article in the most delicate areas.

The insert according to the invention can advantageously be applied to awide variety of footwear, in particular of sports footwear, and evenmore particularly to sports footwear comprising a substantially softinner element and a substantially rigid outer element such as ski boots,roller skates, ice skates and so on.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment of the invention, given by way of non-limiting example withreference to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows the application of an insert for the customization of afootwear according to the invention to the inner liner of ski boot;

FIG. 2 shows in greater detail the insert of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the insert of FIG. 2 seen from a different perspective; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the insert of FIGS. 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The preferred embodiment of the invention described below in detailrefers to the application of the invention to a ski boot, and moreparticularly to the inner liner of a ski boot. Such embodiment is in noway to be intended as limiting the scope of the invention and theinvention can be applied to any footwear for which it is deemednecessary or advantageous to customize the shape of the footwear foradapting it to the specific morphology of a particular user.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is schematically illustrated the inner liner100 of a ski boot. The liner 100 is made of a soft material andcomprises a sole 104 and an upper 102, said upper comprising a firstportion 102 a arranged for receiving the user's foot and a secondportion 102 b arranged for receiving the user's ankle.

The liner 100 is made as non-customized article, with standarddimensions for the same footwear size.

As is visible in FIG. 1, an insert 1 according to the invention isincorporated in the liner 100 for customizing said liner in accordanceto the user's morphology. Said insert 1 may also be applied to the liner100 instead of being incorporated therein.

It is apparent that, according to the applications, the insert 1 can besized and shaped so as to extend in those areas of the user's body thatare most sensitive and relevant for the specific use. In particular, inthe illustrated example, the insert is shaped and sized so as to extendsubstantially in the malleolar region 102 c of the upper 102 of theinner liner 100, on both sides of said liner.

Said insert is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2-4.

According to the invention, the insert 1 comprises at least one layermade of thermo-formable material 3 and a layer made of cork 5 coupled toeach other. The presence of the layer made of thermo-formable material 3offers the possibility to customize the footwear by adapting the insert1 to the morphology of the foot of the individual user. Thethermo-formable material can be for instance chosen form the groupcomprising polyethylene (PE), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyurethane(PU) and polypropylene (PP).

The presence of the layer made of cork 5 allows to exploit theinsulating properties of this material. In addition, in the case ofsports footwear, such as ski boots, the presence of the layer made ofcork 5 allows to improve the transmission of movements from the user'sfoot to the sports footwear with respect to the use of foamed materialsand the like.

According to the invention, the layer made of thermo-formable material 3and the layer made of cork 5 preferably have a uniform thickness overthe whole area of the insert 1. This guarantees that the insert 1 hasuniform properties over its entire area. Moreover, this makes itpossible to manufacture the insert 1 in a very simple and cost-effectivemanner.

The layer made of thermo-formable material 3 will preferably have athickness so as to allow to adapt the insert 1 to a wide variety ofusers having different foot morphologies. In particular, the thicknessof said thermo-formable layer 3 will preferably be comprised between 2.0and 10.0 mm.

The layer made of cork 5 will preferably have a thickness large enoughto ensure an effective thermal insulation of the user's foot; on theother hand, said layer made of cork 5 will be thin enough to follow thedeformations of the layer made of thermo-formable material 3 associatedthereto, without the risk of formation of cracks or fissures. Inparticular, the thickness of said layer made of cork 5 will preferablybe comprised between 0.5 and 4.0 mm.

As is apparent from FIG. 4, in the insert 1 according to the invention,the cork is not dispersed in the form of powder or fragments in thethermoplastic material; instead, it provides for a first, substantiallyhomogeneous layer entirely made of thermo-formable material and asecond, substantially homogeneous layer entirely made of cork.

The layer made of thermo-formable material 3 and the layer made of cork5 are preferably coupled to each other by gluing or heat lamination.However, this is not to be intended in a limiting sense, and any othertechnique within the reach of the person skilled in the art can also beused for coupling said layers.

As can be readily seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, it is possible to make theinsert 1 starting from a sheet 30 of thermo-formable material having adesired thickness and a sheet 50 of cork having a desired thicknesscoupled to each other.

Starting from said coupled sheets, it will be possible to obtain theinsert with the desired shape: in the illustrated embodiment, saidinsert will comprise a pair of substantially symmetrical lateralportions 7 a,7 b joined by a central portion 7 c; once the insert 1 isapplied to the inner liner 100, the lateral portions 7 a,7 b will extendsubstantially in the malleolar region of the upper of said inner liner,on both sides of said liner, whereas the central portion 7 c will extendsubstantially in the region of the Achilles tendon of the upper of saidinner liner.

As anticipated above, the present invention further relates to a sportsfootwear comprising an insert 1 of the type described above.

The invention finds particular application within the field of sportsfootwear and more particularly within the field of sports footwearcomprising an inner element or liner made of a substantially softmaterial and an outer element or shell made of a substantially rigidmaterial, in which case the insert 1 according to the invention isapplied to or incorporated in said inner liner made of a substantiallysoft material. However, this preferred application is not be intended ina limiting sense.

In principle, the footwear according to the invention may comprise aninsert of the type described above, having shape and size so as toextend over the whole surface of the footwear upper.

Alternatively, and according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,the footwear according to the invention may comprise one or moreinsert(s) of the type described above having shape and size so as toextend over one portion only or corresponding portions only of theupper. In this case, the insert or inserts will be provided in thoseregions which are most sensitive from the viewpoint of the user'scomfort, such as for instance the malleolar region or the metatarsalregion.

In principle, the method for the customization of a footwear comprisingone or more insert(s) according to the invention comprises the followingsteps:

-   -   heating the layer made of thermo-formable material 3 of the        insert 1 until its temperature rises above a predetermined        threshold, said threshold being chosen so that at temperatures        equal to or higher than said threshold said layer made of        thermo-formable material can be deformed and shaped;    -   while maintaining the temperature of said layer made of        thermo-formable material 3 above said predetermined threshold,        deforming said layer made of thermo-formable material 3 for        adapting it to the morphology of the user's foot; and    -   letting the thus shaped layer made of thermo-formable material 3        cool down below the aforementioned threshold.

At least the step of adapting the shape of the layer made ofthermo-formable material—and possibly also the steps of heating andsubsequent cooling—are carried out while the user's foot is placed inthe footwear.

From the above description, it is apparent that the invention allows toachieve the objects set forth above. It is further evident that theembodiment described above in detail is not to be regarded as limitingand that several modifications and variants within the reach of theperson skilled in the art are possible without departing from the scopeof the invention as defined in the appended claims. In particular,although the invention has been described with reference to a ski boot,it is also applicable to a large number of different footwear.

1. An insert for the customization of a footwear comprising at least anupper and a sole, wherein said insert is intended to be incorporatedinto or applied to said upper of said footwear, wherein said insertcomprises a layer made of thermo-formable material and a layer made ofcork coupled to each other.
 2. The insert according to claim 1, whereinsaid layer made of thermo-formable material and said layer made of corkhave a substantially uniform thickness over the whole area of saidinsert.
 3. The insert according to claim 2, wherein said layer made ofthermo-formable material has a thickness of 2.0 to 10.0 mm.
 4. Theinsert according to claim 2, wherein said layer made of cork has athickness of 0.5 to 4.0 mm.
 5. The insert according to claim 1, whereinsaid layer made of thermo-formable material and said layer made of corkare coupled to each other by gluing.
 6. The insert according to claim 1,wherein said layer made of thermo-formable material and said layer madeof cork are coupled to each other by heat lamination.
 7. The insertaccording to claim 1, wherein said layer made of thermo-formablematerial is made of a material selected from the group comprisingpolyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, polyurethane and polypropylene. 8.A footwear comprising at least an upper and a sole, wherein saidfootwear comprises at least one insert incorporated into or applied tosaid upper of said footwear, said insert comprising a layer made ofthermo-formable material and a layer made of cork coupled to each other.9. The footwear according to claim 8, wherein said at least one insertextends over the whole surface of said upper.
 10. The footwear accordingto claim 8, wherein said at least one insert extends over a portion onlyof said upper.
 11. A footwear comprising a substantially soft innerelement and a substantially rigid outer element, wherein at least saidsubstantially soft inner element comprises an upper and a sole, whereinsaid footwear comprises at least one insert incorporated into or appliedto said upper of said substantially soft inner element, said insertcomprising a layer made of thermo-formable material and a layer made ofcork coupled to each other.
 12. The footwear according to claim 11,wherein said at least one insert extends over the whole surface of saidupper.
 13. The footwear according to claim 11, wherein said at least oneinsert extends over a portion only of said upper.
 14. Method for thecustomization of a footwear comprising at least an upper and a sole,wherein said method comprises the steps of: incorporating into orapplying to said upper of said footwear an insert comprising a layermade of thermo-formable material and a layer made of cork coupled toeach other; heating at least said layer made of thermo-formable materialof said insert until its temperature rises above a predeterminedthreshold; while maintaining the temperature of said layer made ofthermo-formable material above said predetermined threshold, deformingsaid layer made of thermo-formable material for adapting it to themorphology of a user's foot; letting said layer made of thermo-formablematerial of said insert cool down until its temperature lowers belowsaid predetermined threshold.
 15. Method according to claim 14, whereinat least said step of deforming said layer made of thermo-formablematerial for adapting it to the morphology of a user's foot is carriedout while the user's foot is placed in the footwear.